HELD BY ROPE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 108, 7 April 1926, Page 7

HELD BY ROPE.

DROWNING MAN SAVED. RIVER EPIC. SYDNEY, March 26. By a deed of outstanding heroism and almost incredibio fortitude, Vincent Sewell saved a man’s life in the swirling waters of tho Macquarie river last night. Mr J. M. Main, district supervising engineer, with four men, went to Geurie bridge to save it. Tho men were: Vincent Sewell, Harry Webb, George Allen and George Whitemore.

The four men went on the river in a boat. They were caught in tho swirl and tumbled into the water. Webb caught the top of a post, which was showing, whilo Allen was washed down-stream. Whitemore swam ashore. Neither Webb nor Allen could swim. ON TELEGRAPH WIRE. Sewell wont to Allen’s assistance, placed hint on the upturned boat then placed him on the upturned boat, then swam ashore. Ho obtained a rope, climbed a telegraph pole, and crawler! along the wires lor 150 yards. Forming a loop on the rope, lie lassooed Webb —who by this time was exhausted—and held him suspended to the wires till ho was rescued four hours later by means of a boat which had been summoned from Wellington. The men had then been live hours in the water. Sewell was exposed on his unsteady perch to tho biting cold which followed the rain. In the meantime, the boat, on which Allen had been placed, floated down the river, striking a log. The boat turned over again, swamped and went under. Allen tried to catch hold of branch tips which were licking tho surface of the water, but they gave way. Jn desperation, he made another attempt, and succeeded in getting ono stronger than the rest. To this ho held with grim desperation till the boat came and rescued him. Allen and Webb were brought homo this morning, both suffering from shock and exposure. Sewell’s feat deserves to rank high in record of heroic rescue work.